Page 47 of Finding My Bodyguard

The phone fell quiet, and all that could be heard was her heavy breathing. My head was spinning. Meechie was swerving through the streets like a bat out of hell, and my heart was breaking. I had fallen for Monroe a long time ago, but now I could honestly say I loved her. The thought of being without her or not being able to protect her was too much to bear.

“Chocolate.”

“Yes?”

“I love you. I love you, and I’m going handle this shit.”

“I love y—” The call dropped, and so did a nigga fucking heart.

“If something happens to Monroe, I’m gon’ unretire and be the savage I was born to be.” I grunted. Meechie sighed.

“She gon’ be good; we gon’ get there.” He assured me.

Monroe

“Ilove you, too,” I whispered, lowering my body into the hole.

“London? London?” I said as I descended the ladder into the dark and narrow tunnel. The phone went silent, and I knew my time to talk to him was over. My heart was pounding in my chest, and my mind was racing with fear and uncertainty. I had so many questions, but no one to ask them to because the call had dropped as soon as the trap door shut just as London had warned.

When my feet touched the ground, I looked around for light. It was no use, though, because I could barely see in front of me. Think, Monroe. I felt around in the dark. Suddenly it hit me, and I clicked the flashlight button on my phone. It wasn’t much coemption for the underground darkness but provided just enough light to illuminate the path before me. The footsteps moving around upstairs startled me. I hoped like hell they didn’t know where to find me. I feared what would happen to me if I was found, and I couldn’t shake feeling helpless and alone. I stood there frozen in fear, but then London’s orders played in my head. I had to keep going until I reached the shelter.

“You got this!” I told myself as I took off walking in the only direction I could go. My thoughts were going a mile a minute. What would happen if I was found? What if London didn’t make it to me? How had my dad and Kashus found me? Hours seemed to pass by before I finally reached the shelter. A sense of relief swept over me as a man wearing a uniform and badge came into view. The closer I got, the more that relief faded. The officer’s lifeless body dropped to the ground and Kashus came into view holding a pistol in my direction.

“Took yo’ fat ass long enough. I was starting to think you weren’t coming.”

“Kashus?” I slowly backed away, but he stepped forward, grabbing my arm.

“Don’t fucking think about it. Get your fat ass in here.” He threw me on the floor and shut the door behind me. The pain from the impact of hitting the ground shot through me, and I glared up my ex-fiancé.

“Imagine this, your fiancée is supposed to be in Miami getting her body done for a nigga, and you find out that she then ran off with the damn surgeon.”

“Kashus, I—” I attempted to stand up and explain myself, but Kashus’s hand connected to my jaw causing me to fall. My head dropped, the shock that Kashus had just hit me stung my face.

“Sit yo’ ass down! I knew you were fat, but I didn’t know you were a ho.” His voice thundered. This time, instead of using his bare hands to hit me, he connected the butt of the gun to my face. I could feel the skin on my jaw open and blood pour out from the wound.

“You so fucking stupid, man. You better not of fucked that nigga, Monroe.” London’s words invaded my thoughts again. This was my chance to take back everything that Kashus and my father had stolen from me. I wasn’t going to give him the satisfaction of seeing me cower to him. Raising my head, I clenched my jaw.

“I fucked the shit out of him!” I shot back. Before I could make out what was happening, Kashus had connected the butt of the gun to my face again. Blood immediately leaked down my shirt and a throbbing pain took over. I pressed my hand to my face, attempting to stop the pain.

“Bitch, you married that motherfucker for real?” Kashus grabbed my hand, holding it close to his face. I screamed in pain as he yanked the ring from my finger. It felt as if my hand had detached from my body.

“I look like a motherfucker you can play with, Monroe? You know what happens to disloyal bitches?”

I didn’t respond. My only concern was stopping the stabbing pain that was coming from my hand. I slid my hand under my body, hoping the pressure would ease the pain. It was no use because Kashus grabbed me by my hair and drug me to a pole in the corner of the room. He took my right hand and handcuffed me to the pole. Confusion plagued my mind. I didn't know why he was keeping me here. I thought we would be on our way back to Bristol City by now.

“What are we doing?” I slurred. My words were muffled due to the swelling that was coming on my face.

“Waiting on yo’ lil square ass boyfriend.” He sat down next to me in a chair. “He’s going to come for you, and when he does, I’ll put a fucking bullet in his head for touching what was mine.”

My eyes watered at the mention of London. My worst fear was coming true. When London got here, he was going to be killed. I hung my head in defeat.

“Don’t worry, though, because once we’re married, your father’s business is turned over to me. I’ll put one in your head, too, so you can join him.”

Defeat swept over me, and I lowered my head, allowing the tears to flow. Kashus returned to the other side of the room and took a seat on the bed. I didn’t know how I was getting out of this. At least I knew he didn’t plan to kill me until after we were married. I tried my hardest to keep my eyes on him, but the pain that was echoing through my body took over my concentration. I was fading in and out of consciousness. Each time my eyes opened and closed, I had no clue how much time had passed. I attributed the passing out to the amount of blood that was leaking from my face. I needed to tell him I was losing too much blood. My eyes found Kashus again. He was pushing a white substance up his nose. I couldn’t believe what I was watching. I never pegged him for a drug user.

“You know why I fuck with other bitches, Monroe, because they know how to have fun. You so fucking boring!” He stood and began walking toward me again. I was trembling at the thought of what he was going to do. He bent over to me. I noticed the crazed look in his eyes as he pulled out the same white substance he’d stuffed in his nose.

“No!” I shook my head franticly, shielding my face as best I could. He was going to try to force me to inhale it.

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